I tried making these a few weeks ago (and posted a picture on instagram) but all my avocados were rotten. I talked a little bit then about how difficult it can be to be a blogger, especially when your blog is very reliant on photographs, when working full time. I was trying to get everything done on Sundays, and if something didn't work out, I didn't have anything to show for it that week. This was one of those recipes. Otherwise it was dark by the time I got home and taking pictures wasn't an option. I've now cut my work hours down a little bit in order to work from home a couple days a week, which is helping a lot. I'm lucky to have that option, and so thankful for it.
This is a great weeknight dinner recipe. I forget sometimes how much I love roasted sweet potatoes, and with the toothsome french lentils, mushrooms, and green sauce (this sauce!) they're over the top. I brought this to my mom's a couple days ago for dinner, and she loved them too. She did cover hers in cheese and top it with sour cream, though. At least adding all the cheese doesn't get rid of those gorgeous nutrients hiding underneath.
I used to see recipes like this and think goodness, how lazy to blog about something like that. I don't think that anymore. So many people ask me for recipes that they can make on a weeknight, or something that isn't complicated or requires weird ingredients (I'm looking at you, Ashley). These are easy to find, inexpensive ingredients. The recipe is simple. It's comfort food at its best, and plant based to boot. If you eat them, try this with a poached egg or a little cheese to top it off. I loved it as is, but you should feel free to make those additions. It looked pretty delicious with all that cheese on top. I was just the tiniest bit jealous.
And this sauce! It's pretty much pureed guacamole, and it is out of this world. You need to try it. You need to put it on everything. I was eating it by the spoonful and have no regrets. You could put it on sandwiches, nachos, eggs, chili, whatevah. It's so good. If you don't have a food processor, don't worry! It can be made in a blender, or with a little elbow grease and some good chopping. It'll be amazing no matter how you make it.
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Serves four
Ingredients:
4 medium sweet potatoes
Give the potatoes a good scrub, then wrap them in individually in tin foil and place on a baking sheet. This is important - they might leak and cause some smoke if you don't put them on a sheet (I am speaking from experience). Bake at 400F/200C for about an hour, or until easily pierced with a fork.
Filling:
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 cup cooked french lentils*
3 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes, or to taste
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Heat a large pan over medium heat with a little oil. Add the onion and sauté until soft and beginning to turn golden. Add the mushrooms and garlic. Try not to stir too much, as you don't really want to steam the mushrooms. Cook until the garlic is fragrant and the mushrooms have browned.
Stir in the lentils and cook until they're just heated through. Add the cumin, salt, pepper, and hot pepper flakes. Cook for a minute, until fragrant, then add the apple cider vinegar and stir so that any spices that got stuck to the bottom of the pan are lifted. Turn off the heat and stir in the olive oil.
Glowing Green Sauce:
2 ripe avocados
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, packed
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (optional)*
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
If you have a food processor, toss everything in and pulse until a smooth sauce forms. If not, use a blender. You may need to scrape the sides down to make sure everything is mixing in properly. If you're worried that it might not make everything smooth enough, definitely mince the garlic beforehand to prevent garlic chunks swimming around.
Otherwise, you can mince the cilantro and garlic with a sharp knife. Mash the avocado with a fork, stir in the cilantro, garlic, and lime juice first, followed by the remaining ingredients.
To assemble:
Cut each sweet potato down the centre, but try not to cut them right in half. Stuff them with with about 1/3 cup each of the lentil and mushroom mixture. Top with as much glowing green sauce as you'd like. It makes quite a bit so you'll likely have some extra if you're not an avocado fiend.
It might seem like a lot of ingredients and instructions, but apart from waiting for the sweet potatoes to bake, this takes about ten minutes to throw together.
Notes:
1. You can use regular green or black lentils here as well, but avoid red split lentils. You want a little chewiness, and french lentils are ideal for that.
2. Add the vinegar if you like a little more acidity and the sauce tastes kind of flat.
Labels: budget friendly, clean, easy, entrees, gluten free, high protein, lime, low fat, quick and easy, seasonal, sweet potato, vegan, winter
